Early gentian is a small, rare annual or biennial wildflower. It grows on chalk grassland, favouring south-facing slopes with thin soil that are grazed to keep the vegetation cover low. Its purple, trumpet-shaped flowers appear in branching clusters from May to June, much earlier than its relative, the autumn gentian. Its seeds can remain in the ground for several years before growing, so colonies may only appear every few years.
How to identify
The early gentian displays purple, four- or five-petalled, trumpet-shaped flowers that have fine white stamens inside them. It has long, narrow, green leaves that are unstalked, growing directly from the stem.
Did you know?
The early gentian is endemic to the UK, meaning it is only found here and nowhere else in the world.
